validity of income verification letter

Anything and everything about Thailand
Post Reply
RichLB
Posts: 1217
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:13 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 88 times

validity of income verification letter

Post by RichLB »

I've read previous posts that state 6 months as the validity period for this letter. But, I've checked via Google and see periods of one month, three months and six months, but nowhere can I find a Thai Government source for the time period. Does anyone know where to find out for sure?
Up2u

Re: validity of income verification letter

Post by Up2u »

Our embassies work with Thai government authorities so when they report 6 months validity I have confidence in their statements. If you are sceptical what you read here I would contact our embassy and ask them. If you still have doubts I would go to immigration and ask yourself. Good luck if you find anything on a Thai government website.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: validity of income verification letter

Post by Gaybutton »

Up2u wrote:If you still have doubts I would go to immigration and ask yourself.
And then hope that two different immigration officers don't give you two different answers. And also hope that two weeks later whatever answer you got will still be the same.

When you go to either obtain a first time retirement Visa or go to renew one you already have, don't wait until the last minute. Give yourself time to go to the Embassy and get another proof of income statement just in case when you get to immigration, that's when they tell you your proof of income statement is no longer valid.
windwalker

Re: validity of income verification letter

Post by windwalker »

Validity is 6 months.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: validity of income verification letter

Post by Gaybutton »

Another point - you can renew your retirement visa up to a month in advance of the expiration date. Some are reluctant to do that because they think it changes the following year's expiration date. It doesn't.

To illustrate what I mean, suppose your retirement visa expires December 5, 2017. if you wait until that date to renew your visa, the next expiration date will be December 5, 2018.

Suppose you renew that visa November 14, 2017. The visa expiration date will still be December 5, 2018.

I know that to be correct because I've renewed my own visa in advance several times over the years and that's the way it's always worked.
thaiworthy

Re: validity of income verification letter

Post by thaiworthy »

I asked this question at the Embassy just last week. They said 6 months.
User avatar
2lz2p
Posts: 957
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 8:08 am
Location: Pattaya, Thailand (Jomtien)
Has thanked: 148 times
Been thanked: 108 times

Re: validity of income verification letter

Post by 2lz2p »

This is shown on the current Pattaya City Expats Club checklist for retirement extensions:
IF you are using monthly income in total or in part to meet the financial requirements, an original “Embassy Letter” from your country’s embassy attesting to your monthly income. The letter should not be more than 6 months old. (Thai Immigration will use the exchange rate in effect on the date of application to convert the monthly income into Baht).
I believe I posted this link in another thread: http://www.pcecnews.com/PCEC-NOTICE-THA ... JUNE-6.pdf The linked page is the PCEC's explanation of how in 2013 several embassies approached Thai Immigration because of recent changes on the validity (e.g., 30 days then 15 days). As a result, Thai Immigration Headquarter issued instructions to all their offices stating income letters were valid up to 6 months (of course that doesn't mean some offices don't use a shorter period, but since the PCEC's current information still shows 6 months, then they have had no reports to the contrary on expat's experience at Pattaya Immigration (Jomtien Soi 5).

I usually got the letter at the Outreach visit by the US ACS unit as they usually visited in early June and my due date is in early July - however, my last renewal, they didn't visit in June as usual, but instead visited in July (3 days after my due date); so it was a trip to Bangkok for me. Since they say their next visit after Nov 1 will be in June 2018, I plan to get it then.
Post Reply